The Exchange Student

Posted on Sun Jun 18, 2017 @ 11:30am by Lieutenant JG Logan Hunter & Ensign Holly Meadows

Mission: History
Location: Shrewsbury, England
Timeline: Late August 2383 || 10am GMT

A 16-year old Logan stepped off the commuter transit monorail car onto the platform in Shrewsbury, England. It was a beautiful and sunny morning as he looked about with an almost awestruck expression at the Shropshire countryside just beyond the rail. It had been an amazing ride from London in the Southeast of England to Shrewsbury near the border of Wales. It had just made him want to explore not just England during his next year here, but the whole of the British Isles as well.

Logan broke from his momentary reverie when another debarking commuter bumped into him. He cast his eyes on the door to the rail terminal station and walked over. He peered in and wondered which of the people in there was the family he would be living with for the next year. He stepped inside to find out.

"Holly...put that away please. You're here to greet someone not to be glued to a screen."

Holly tapped a last comment and with a silent sigh, deposited her mobile device into her shoulder bag then looked around her as if she was interested.

Her father, a tall man with dark hair peppered in white was watching arrivals. None so far had resembled the holograph sent with the exchange students details.
"I think...that...might...be...him." he said slowly and stepped forward.
"Mr Hunter?" he asked.

Logan looked up at the distinguished looking English gentleman as he approached. He recognized him as the head of the host family from the images he'd been sent for the exchange program and nodded. "Yes sir. I'm Logan Hunter."

"Jonathan Meadows....welcome to...England" he said holding out his hand to shake and giving the newcomer a smile. He was also taking an appraisal of the person in front of him as a headmaster of long standing was apt to do. "Have you had a good journey?"

Logan gave Jonathan's hand a firm handshake as he nodded. "Yes sir, My flight was only four hours aboard a hyper sonic commercial flight and then just an hour long monorail ride from London."

Turning to the woman at his side Jonathan said: "Good, good....This is my wife Anne."

"Such a pleasure to meet you." Mrs. Meadows exclaimed and when Logan took her offered hand she enclosed his with her left hand.
"And you must call us Jonathan and Anne...no need to be formal...you're part of our family temporarily."

She too gave him a warm smile and releasing his hand turned to the girl standing next to her. "This is Holly."

"Hi." Holly said her lips curved to a smile. She offered her hand.

Logan was a bit overwhelmed by the trip and the warm welcome. He gave Anna a nod. "I'll do my best to ma'am." He then turned to Holly and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you Holly."

"You don't seem to have much luggage." Anne stated looking around.

Logan hefted his backpack. "Got what I need for the next day right here. My mom and dad are express shipping my stuff to me after I call them when we get to your home."

"Ah good idea." she replied and turning to her husband suggested that they 'get a move on then' and allow Logan time to settle in and have a rest.

"Cars at the front." Jonathan said. "This way."
He led the way, his wife and daughter following a few steps behind.

Anne spoke quietly to her daughter. "He's rather nice...very polite."

Holly nodded. "Very." she agreed.

Meanwhile Jonathan had been explaining to Logan that they didn't have far to go and would he like to sit as a front passenger.

"Thank you sir, but wouldn't your wife prefer to sit up front." Logan cast a glance back at Anne.

"No no." Anne replied. "I don't mind sitting in the back seat at all. You can see more in the front."

Logan gave Anne an appreciative nod. "That's very kind, thank you."

Jonathan pointed to the rear of the car. "You can put your bag in the boot."

Logan pulled up short, a look of confusion on his face before staring at the cowboy boots on his feet.

Holly almost walked into him but side stepped and seeing the expression on his face pointed to the rear of the car. "The boot." she said "...to put luggage in...not boots."

Logan looked at the rear of the car and gave a rueful shake of his head. "We call it a trunk."

Holly laughed. "Really? Well trees have trunks here." She wasn't being unkind but simply amused.

Logan's backpack was stowed away and everyone moved to get into the car.

Holly pointed to the front of the car. "If that's a trunk whats this then?" she asked.

Logan smiled back at Holly and patted the top of the front of the car. "We call it the hood of the engine compartment."

"Hood...okay....here its a Bonnet." she smiled and they moved to get in but then came another problem.

"Wrong side...unless you're driving us." Holly said and Logan saw a mischievous smile.

Logan looked from Holly to the inside of the right side of the car and notice the steering column there. He gave a slightly embarrassed chuckle as he moved around to the left side passenger entrance. "Forgot." He opened the rear passenger door for Holly though, before opening and climbing in himself.

Anne settled herself as Holly slid onto the seat behind Logan.
"Confusion all round." she said.

The car moved off, gaining speed in a short distance.
"Left hand side here." Hollys father said glancing at Logan. " One of the little traditions we've always kept.
So what are you planning career wise?" he asked Logan as they joined traffic and headed west.

Logan turned his gaze from out the window to Jonathan. "Well sir, my Dad is hoping I'll go to Iowa State and my Mom keep urging me to apply to one of the more prestigious universities, but...I kind of want to follow in my Uncle Terry's footsteps...and go into Starfleet."

Anne was attentive to the conversation going on in the front but Holly, who had heard more than enough about exams, careers, opportunities, revision and universities turned her attention once again to her mobile device.

It wasn't long before her mother noticed. "Who are you talking to now?" she asked giving her daughter a frown.

"Neil," came the reply.

"You've been talking to him all day off and on and you'll see him tomorrow so that's not necessary. Put it away please."

Holly looked grieved, did a final tapping and did as she was asked.
"He's coming over this evening," she said.

Logan looked at Holly's reflection in the rear view mirror. "Neil? He your boyfriend or something?"

Holly smiled at the reflection but it was Anne who answered.
"Oh no." she said with a short laugh. "Nothing like that. Neil is John's good friend. Actually his family and ours have been friends for years. His father was Jonathan's best man at our wedding." She also smiled at Logan's reflection.

Holly stared out of the window.

Logan went back to looking at the English country side as well, but found himself sneaking quick peeks at Holly in the mirror. Despite what Anne said, he was sure there was more to this Neil guy and Holly then just friends of the family thing.

TEN TO FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER

Holly took little notice of the conversation but watched the countryside rush past without really seeing it at all.

When the car slowed and turned left onto a smaller road, it broke her from whatever dream she had been in and caused her to look between the front seat people to the road ahead, checking where they were.
Her attention drifted to her father then to Logan sitting in front of her although all she could see was the back of his head but when she raised her line of sight a little she found he was watching her in the rear view mirror and smiled at him almost like a conspirator.

Logan nodded at Holly's image and gave a smile of his own.

"Here we are then." Mr Meadows announced and swung the vehicle into a tight right hand turn off the road onto a gravel drive which took a curve between a lawn to the left and a house to the right. The car came to a halt opposite the front door and everyone got out.
Holly beelined for the boot and retrieved Logans backpack which was rather heavy but holding its straps in both hands stepped towards him and offered it. "Your luggage from the trunk Mr. Hunter." Chuckling at using this new word.

Logan accepted his backpack with a gracious nod. "Thank you Miss Meadows, most kind of you...." The sound of a horse whinnying caught his attention mid sentence. He turned towards the house and then back to Holly. "You have horses?"

"Oh yes." she said matter-of-factly. "John's horse is here of course so you could exercise him if you like." She paused thoughtfully then asked: "Can you ride?"

Logan not only smiled, but grinned and gave Holly a wink. "Do I ride? I'm only the Under 18 All-County Champion of last years Cross Country Horse Race."

"Really!" Holly sounded impressed. "Then Ebony can have a good gallop." Her smile showed real pleasure at the thought.

"Gallop?" asked her mother as she rounded the vehicle.

"Yes...Logan is a Cross County Race Champion," she explained.

"Oh wonderful...then you can take Ebony out. Holly can show you a few good routes can't you darling?"

"Are we going inside?" Hollys dad called from nearer to the side of the house than the front.

Logan looked at Jonathan and then to both Anne and Holly. He gestured towards the house. "Ladies first I always say."

Holly, smiled and turned away leading the way to where her father stood waiting by a smaller, plainer door.

"We always use the kitchen entrance." Anne explained. " It's so much easier and we spend a lot of our time in there as you'll see."
Muffled sounds of barking could be heard from somewhere inside the house.

"Be quiet you lot!!" Anne called but smiled to Logan.

Logan followed everyone up to the door and one by one the family disappeared into the house. He paused just before crossing the threshold and took a look around. All this and dogs too. This is gonna be a great year.